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Flooded Restaurant Becomes Viral Sensation

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Flooded Restaurant Becomes Viral Sensation
Exercise 1

Vocabulary

Repeat each word, definition, and example sentence after your tutor.
flood Verbflʌd
to appear in large amounts, often in an overwhelming way
Every year on Black Friday, customers flood the mall in search of bargains.
sensationNounsɛnˈseɪʃən
great interest and excitement; a person or thing that causes great interest or excitement
The Ford Mustang caused a sensation when it was released in 1964.
(one's) heart sinks Phrasehɑːrt sɪŋks
to suddenly feel very sad
My heart sank when I found out my college application had been rejected.
nibbleVerbˈnɪbl
to take small bites
I felt too nervous to eat, so I just nibbled some toast.
fussyAdjectiveˈfʌsi
having to have things exactly as one wants them
My cat is really fussy and only eats this brand of cat food.
devastateVerbˈdɛvəˌsteɪt
to damage or destroy; to cause severe sadness or shock
The area was completely devastated by the storm.
Exercise 2

Article

Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your tutor.Flooded Restaurant Becomes Viral Sensation
Customers have been flooding into a restaurant in central Thailand for an unusual dining experience. And "flooding" is an appropriate word, because this restaurant hasn't just seen customers coming through its doors — a river has flooded the restaurant too, bringing live fish with it. Since the river next to Pa Jit restaurant burst its banks, the eatery has become an internet sensation — and it has continued serving food. Visitors have arrived to take photos with their feet in the brown water, and to eat the food. Waiting staff carefully carry bowls of fish soup or chicken noodles from table to table, while young children watch in excitement as live fish swim around their legs. Pa Jit, which is in Nakhon Pathom province, about 30 kilometers from Bangkok, has been feeding locals for 30 years, said its owner. When the restaurant flooded for the first time around four years ago, her heart sank. Then, she thought that no one would be interested in eating at the restaurant, but when photos of fish swimming in the floodwater were shared online, people soon wanted to visit. In fact, she said that floods have boosted her business, with her profits doubling from around $309 to around $618 per day. A customer named Bella Windy, who is 63, said she came to the restaurant because she wanted to feel the fish nibbling on her feet! Families have said that their children are less fussy about the food they eat when they're watching the fish swimming around the restaurant. The restaurant is likely to stay flooded for a little while longer, but while that might be good news for Pa Jit, it has devastated many other areas of Thailand. The government has said that more than 480,000 people in 13 provinces have been affected by floods.
Exercise 3

Discussion

Have a discussion based on the following questions.
  1. What are your thoughts on Pa Jit becoming an internet sensation?
  2. Would you like to check the restaurant out?
  3. Have any restaurants in your town or city gone viral?
  4. Have you been to any unique or interesting restaurants?
  5. What are some of the best restaurants you've been to while traveling?
Exercise 4

Further Discussion

Have a discussion based on the following questions.
  1. How often do you dine out?
  2. Are there any local restaurants you've been going to for years?
  3. How do you decide where to eat when traveling?
  4. Have you had any disappointing restaurant experiences recently?
  5. Were you a fussy eater as a kid? Are you still this way?
SourceThis article is based on an article by Stefan Stojković.